>8.23 #STARDOM Ota Ward Tournament
>The #5STARGP championship match, which marked my seventh consecutive year and seventh time attending live, was, to be honest, the one I approached with the least attachment to #STARDOM ever... but it turned out to be the most emotionally stirring match I’ve ever experienced
>Amid the whirlwind of scrap-and-build where the glorious history and traditions from before the Bushiroad era are being completely rewritten, I was shown a scene I had only dreamed of in the distant past, one I had selfishly thought I’d never see again
>For me, even after her heel turn, #MomoWatanabe remains the “True Heart” of STARDOM, and MOMOAZ and MKSisters, who never quite reached the Goddess belt, are the true treasures of homegrown tag teams
>The emotional weight of the match where she reunited with her former partner AZM, in a different kind of “summit” than the red belt match, was indescribable... Though the harsh world of competition meant a clear winner and loser, I couldn’t help but want to say “congratulations” to both wrestlers
>The overwhelmed expression after the victory carried the convincing weight of someone who has walked alongside STARDOM’s history as a homegrown talent and understands the significance of winning the 5STAR. Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen such a gentle smile like the one in the second photo...
>I’m grateful to have witnessed the historic moment when Momo, who was the absolute champion of the white belt when I first saw STARDOM live, declared the “Era of Momo Watanabe” with pride after six long years of struggle since losing the white belt
>P.S. Not just the final, but every match in the league’s final tournament was of annual best-bout quality, showcasing the depth of a promotion that prides itself as the pinnacle of women’s professional wrestling and the sheer determination of the top wrestlers leading it